‘Happy’ Chidambaram was ready with resignation

New Delhi: After a court on Saturday quashed a petition seeking to make him a co-accused in the 2G scam, a relieved Home Minister P Chidambaram told Zee News that he is happy with the special court`s verdict in the case.

Speaking exclusively to Zee News, Chidambaram said that he expected the outcome of the verdict to be in his favour, but was also ready with his resignation in case the order had come against him.

The Special CBI Court of Judge OP Saini today held that Chidambaram did not indulge in any criminal conspiracy or derived any pecuniary advantage in the decisions taken with former telecom minister A Raja.

Giving a clean chit to Chidambaram, who was the finance minister at the time of controversial allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008, Judge Saini said Chidambaram was party to only two decisions -- keeping spectrum prices at 2001 level and dilution of equity by two companies -- which "are not per se criminal".

Apart from being a matter of relief personally for Chidambaram, today`s verdict is also the first good tidings for the UPA government that has been battered by a series of judicial pronouncements in the recent days in the 2G and other issues.